Fire-extinguishing valve system



Feb. is, 1930.

H. SCHLESINGER FIRE EXTINGUISHING VALVE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 3. l927 Feb. 18, 1930. H. scHLEsNGER FIRE EXTINGUISHING VALVE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 3. 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 2 ar M Saw If E;

i WM Patented Feb. 18, 1930 HARRY SCHLESINGER,

OF DES MOINES, IOWA FIRE-EXTINGUISHING- VALVE SYSTEM Application filed October 3, 1927. Serial No. 223348.

The object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguishing valve system for use in buildings or the like where combustible fluids or chemicals or other extreme fire hazards are involved, the parts of the system: being comparatively simple and constructed of durable material.

Another object of my invention is to provide in such a system a plurality of valves o distributed at 'substantially equal points throughout a room and positioned below the ceiling thereof at the most efi'ective points for extinguishing fires which may occur in the commodities or apparatus contained in the room.

Another object of my invention is to provide these valves for the controlling and releasing of a fire extinguishing element or fluid, the valves being opened automatically upon the destructi'on of fusible links or manually by actuation of an operator.

Still a further object is to provide each of the valves with dual means for opening it, one of these means comprising a fusible link for automatically opening the valve to which it is attached and the other means being' controlled independently of the individual fusible link.

Still a furtheriobject is to connect another means for each of the valves mentioned in the last object whereby all the valves of the series may be operated or opened simultaneously by a manual control.

Still another object is to provide fusible links in the connections between the valves so that-'upon destruction of any one of these links, the entire series of valves may be opened automatically by a weight or other device op 40 eratively connected to the valves.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the Construction arrangement and combination of the various parts of my invention, whereby the objects 45 contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointecl out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: V a

Fgure 1 is a horizontal sectional View 50 through a plant or storage room or the like wherein fire hazards are quite extreme, the section being cut just below the ceiling of the room in order to illustrate a number of valves as assembled in the system to be disclosed in this application.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 illustrating one of the series of the valves :Eorming a part of the system in side elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View ofone of the valves and its connections.

F igure 4 is a front elevation of the valve illustrated in F igure 3.

F igure 5 is a detail sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. i

V Figure 6 is an enlarged detail. sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1; and

F i gure 7 is a sectional View on the line 7-7 of Figure 6, one position of 'the parts being shown in dotted lnes. i

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the ceiling of a plant or storage room A where fire i hazards are quite extreme and 12, the floor thereof. The end walls of the room A are indicated by the reference numerals 14. i i

In my valve system I employ a main 'feeder pipe 16 for feeding a fire extinguishing element or fluid, to fire ext-nguishmg valves B.

The fire extinguishing element may be Water understood that this does not limit meto the useof steam exclusively. Each valve B comprises a body portion 20 connected by a 'i' 22 and nipple 24 to the main feed line 16. lVhere steam is used it is desirable to provide for the return of any steam which may be condensed and I make such provision sloping the feed line 16 as illustrated in Fgnre 2 of the drawings so that water condensed in the feed line will drain into the T s 22. For dispensing with the water drained into the T s 22 I provide a drain line 26 returning through a check Valve 28 to the boiler 18 'I 'Returnoffthis water is 'througha trap 30 and into acondensation tank 32 from which i the Water is P P Y the pump %back into t theboilerlS, e

Each fittng 20 is provided wtha valve `seat 36 which is closed by a valve plug`38.

The'valve plug38 isheldagainst theseat 36 e by an-;armJ4O havinga setscrewconnection '42 with the valveplg 38. The arm 40 is pivoted toears 44 formed on the body portion 20 of the valve B" andfisheld in' the full line position illustratedinFgure 6 by a fusi ble link 46, 'hook ro'd 48," 'spring' 50,' nema,"

` lever 54, and" cam member 6. Thecain 56-13 held in'position for rocking movement" a fitting -548 having pair ,of ears 60 thereon and afstud62. i The sma-,6.2 of the' fittng is, screwe'dinto. .a 90112111645 which-in turn is V 'i j -screwed onto ^thebody `portionof the The stud 62 is Ashouldered so that, `pv'otal i rod 48. The spring 50 is positioned on. top

" 'of thefcrked end 6.8of the 'level' 54. I;

- under ,the 'cam 56 wherebythe lVl itself is held inethe 'full line' position illustratedin The other end 7 0 of the ,l'ever 54 engages F igure6 by the cam 56. :The fusiblelink 46 is securedto the lower end of the hooked'rod, 48 and is hooked over. thefree'end'ofgthe arm40.

From the, foregoing flconstriction of myq valve, it will be obvious that the destruction of the fusiblelink 46 willallow the arm 40130,

drop. to" thefldotted line position shown in` fiFgure 6 for removing the valve plug '38 from, 'ifthe valve jseat36 *and-thereby "releasingthe *fire extinguishing lelement from the. ,valve i thu'operated." Each of the valves B can be operated e independently ofthe fusible link ;46 by swinging the camtothe dotted line i position shown in Figure7 so that the cam 'is removed from the end '70 of the level' 547 for allowing this end to raise.` :The forked end; 68.01? the' lever 54 will then be lowered v 'to allowvthe fusible `link 46to`unhook from i' :the arm '.and toallowthe arm 4Q to drop p n ng the valve. v

r For swingin'gthe'cam of'each valve linit 7 B; I provide' a leven" 7 2 having a stud 74 thereon 'adapted to be' positioned-'in an open;-

, ing 7 6 formed in the' "cam 56; ;Set screw means78' is provided for securin g the lever 72 relativeto thecam 56.' v v e i In Figure 1 I have illustrated'three 'series of ?valves and 1 each series comprss :four

' valves',' the arms 772-015 which are connected i by'link bars 7 5:" The-lnkbars ,75 are pro- 79 extendt i The jrivets 79 extend through openngs in the upper ends of the levers 72.

Between adjace'nt valvesof-.each series "I 7 provide a fus'ible linkconnection, 80 intere posedin the line oflink bars 75; Just beyond the end valve ofeach series I provide a weighted;be1l; crank lever 82 extendng through a slot 84 formed ,on the endlink bars 75 by strips of meta1'86 riveted to the sides of the bars as clearly shown in Figure 3.' A pin'88` in thebell'crank 82 insures that the A. ,roller 90is positioned ona rivet 92 extending through the end 'link bar 75 and the end link bar-' .7 5 'will at all times remain in 4 proper position relative to the bell crank 82.'

strip s for providing elficientoperatveconnection .between 'the linkbars' and thebell cranksL v Each bell crank is .provided with aweightc94. The bellecrank levers 82` are 'pivoted. .on `brackets. 104 ;which may be.

i clamped .around the. feed; :pipes ;16 or. sup

ported in any other convenient; .manner.. ..A

slottedbar 102 is provided andmay befiXed. to the ceiling or otherwisesupported forthe purpose of preventing undesirable side move ment 'of the bell -crank lev,ers'-82. i

From the .Construction ofithefpartsj'nst de;

scribed it willbeobvious that fusion of any of .the links so. independent of the'1inks46 will cause a break in the' line offlink bars 'i and the weight 94 .on. the bell crank leverfl82 at one end of the 'series of valves will open all 'valves between theelnkwhichhas be'enfused and that bell-crank The valveson the' other r `side ofthe link which has been'fusedlwll 'be opened by the othe'r 'be11cr'ank 82 and weight' e ,94. Inthis manner I have provided anen;

tirely automatic system whereby' the valves i are operated independent of eachother and the entire series is operatedbythe fusion of one of the links-between the'valves. Secured that'thechain96 extend to a point outside" of -to the enter-endof each bell crank 82 is a i i chain 96 which may beitilized for manually operatingthe seriesofvalves;Ultisdesirable the roomjas'illustrated inFi-gure .2 and this" may be accomplished n one way by providing' r vpulleys 98 and an opening: lOO n the wall 14.

Manual operation ofthe series ofvalves by e the chain 96 will open each valve of the series without afiectingthe fusihle links 46.0r80;

'If founddesrable each .series ofvalves illustrated'in .Fgure 1 may be' connected ton-.- gether for manualbperation. of the entire system 'zOther `va rations;such as omitting the. links 80; whereby the valves are inde pendently operated upon usion '0f their re spectivelnks or the entire system is operated fl by hand maybe arranged to-suit the' condi tons likely to beencountered.

By -theuse of the system disclosed; a 'small: e

fire maybe put out by an individial'valvebit if' the fire is 'somewhat "larger 5 and there is x ,danger of *spreadin'g it will f-use' one of the links 80 "for Operating the series of valves and thereby more effectively extinguishing the fire before it can spread.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various part-s of my invention, without departing 'rom the real spirit and purpose of my in- Vention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention: p

1. A fire eXtinguishing valve system comprising a series of valves for controlling a fire extinguishing element, Operating means for connecting said valves together, said operating means including fusible links between acljacent valves and means for moving the Operating means upon destruction of one of said links for opening each valve of the series.

2. A fire extinguishing valve system comprising a series of valves for controlling a fire extinguishing element, Operating means for connecting said valves together, said operating means including fusible links between adjacent valves and weights for moving the operating means upon destruction of one of said links for automatically opening each valve of the series.

3. A fire eXtinguishing valve system comprsng a series of valves for controllng a fire 'extinguishing element, an individual 'usible link on each valve whereby each valve is opened upon clestruction of its respective fusible link, Operating means for connecting said valves together whereby movement of said Operating means will open said valves, said Operating means including fusible links between adjacent valves and means for moving the Operating means upon destruction of one of said last mentioned fusible links 'for opening each valve of the series independently of the individual fusible links.

4-.. In a fire extnguishing system, a series of valves, fusible means associated with each valve whereby each may be independently opened for discharging a fire extinguishing substance upon fusion of its fusible means, an auXiliary means for, opening all of said valves without afiecting the fusible means, said auxiliary means including a plurality of fusible elements, anyone of which, when fused, will allow the auxiliary means to function for opening all the valves.

5. In a fire extinguishing system, a series of valves, fusible means associated with each valve whereby each maybe independently opened for discharging a fire extinguishing substance upon fusion of its :Eusible means, an auXiliary means for opening all of said valves without aficcting the fusible means, said auXiliary means including a plurality of fusible connections eXtending between adjacent valves of the series whereby simultaneous movement of said connections will open all valves of the series and means for causing such movement upon fusion of any of the fusible connections.

6. In a fire eXtinguishing system, a series of valves, fusible means associated with each valve whereby each may be independently opened for discharging a fireextinguishing substance upon fusion of its fusible means, a leVer on each valve for opening the valve upon swinging movement of the lever and independent of the fusible means associated with the valve, a plurality of links including fusible elements connecting said levers together and means constraining to move the links in one direction, said usible elements normally preventing such movement but allowing such movement upon fusion of any one of the fusible elements.

7. In a fire extinguishing system, a series of valves, fusible means associated with each valve whereby each may be independently opened for discharging a fire eXtinguishing substance upon fusion of its fusible meansgva lever on each valve for opening the valve upon swinging movement of the lever and independent of the fusible means associated with the valve, a plurality of links including fusible elements connectng said levers together and weights at each end of the plurality of links and fusible elements and tending to normally stretch them.

8. A system of the character described, comprising a series of valves for releasing a fire extinguishing fluid when opened, dual means for opening said valves, one of said means comprising a fusible link on each valve whereby they may be independently opened and the other means comprising opening means for constrainng all the valves toward. open position and connections located between the valves forfrendering such opening means inefl ective, whereby all valves of the series may be simultaneously opened upon destruction of'such connections, said connections including fusible links.

9. A system of the character described comprising a series of valves for releasing a fire extinguishing fluid when opened, dual means for opening said valves, one of said means comprising an individual fusible link on each valve whereby the valves are independently opened uponfusion of such links and the other means comprising mechanism for constraining all the valves toward open position and connections located between the valves to render the mechanism ineflective, said connections including each a fusible link, whereby fusion of any of such links will allow the mechanism to open the entireseries of valves.

10. A system of the character described comprising a series of valves for releasing a fire extinguishing fluid when opened, opening means for constraining said valves to open position, dual means for releasing said ing to open' their: respective;- valve; and-;the

other of said mean s'functionng 'to open all V means to 'function upon destruct'on 'of 'said 

